A new European directive puts an end to the secrecy surrounding salaries. Every employee will have the right to receive information about the average salary of their colleagues in the same position. If the difference in pay between men and women exceeds 5 percent without an objective reason, it will be considered discrimination and will be subject to compensation, Nova TV specifies.
In a boza production plant in Montana, the topic of equal pay does not cause tension. Operator Toshko Toshkov said that men and women receive the same salary at the factory. According to him, everyone is on minimum wage and they do not care who gets how much.
However, from June 7, the rules throughout the European Union are changing. The new directive obliges employers to ensure transparency in pay by position. Employees will be able to receive information about average salary levels or the salary range for a given position. If a worker finds a difference in pay without clear and objective criteria, he will be able to dispute it. According to Toshkov, such a difference could be explained by higher qualifications or more work done, but this is not an issue in his company for now.
Lawyers point out that the new rules will bring a serious change to the labor market. Transparency will not mean revealing the specific salary of each employee, but it will provide a clear idea of the average salaries or the pay range. This will require employers to review their internal policies and even some of the employment contracts, which so far often contain clauses on the confidentiality of salaries.
The measure comes against the backdrop of a persistent pay gap between men and women in Bulgaria. According to experts, it is about 7 percent in favor of men. The lack of information often makes such discrepancies invisible and makes it difficult to protect the affected employees.
If an unjustified difference is proven, the employee will be able to seek their rights in court. In such a case, compensation for unpaid remuneration for the relevant period may be awarded, as well as compensation for lost benefits and non-pecuniary damage.
There will also be changes when applying for a job. Employers will not have the right to ask candidates what remuneration they received at their previous workplace. The aim is to prevent the practice of determining the new salary based on the old remuneration.
If an employer does not provide accurate data on the average salary, it may be sanctioned with a fine calculated as a percentage of the company's annual turnover, as well as receive restrictions on participation in public procurement.
The new rules should come into force on June 7, 2026. Until then, for workers like Toshko Toshkov, differences of a few percent in pay don't seem that significant - in his words, 5 percent is about 50 leva more and "it's not that much."